GASTONIA – A pair of former local standouts were honored by the USA South Conference at the end of the season for Averett to highlight the area’s 2013 college softball season.

Lauren Averitt, a 2011 North Lincoln High graduate, was named honorable mention all-conference outfielder after hitting .315 with eight RBIs in 31 games (29 starts). And Taylor Mahaffey (South Point 2011) was honored by the league for her sportsmanship in a year in which she hit .233 with three RBIs in 17 games (eight starts) and went 2-0 with a 4.83 ERA in 12 appearances (two starts).

Averitt and Mahaffey helped the Cougars go 15-23 overall and 9-13 the league.

Several other former local products played college softball this spring, including:

Anderson – Bailey Smith (Crest 2010) was named first team All-South Atlantic Conference after hitting .307 with nine home runs and 26 RBIs in 51 games (47 starts) and going 18-8 with a 3.25 ERA in 28 appearances (25 starts). Smith helped the Trojans go 40-15, 12-6 and win a Southeast Region championship in their first NCAA Division II playoff appearance.

Appalachian State – Raquel Cooke (East Lincoln 2011) had six runs and two stolen bases in 35 games and Caroline Chambers (Kings Mountain 2011) hit .200 with three RBIs in 11 games (four starts) for the Mountaineers (31-22, 17-7), who their first-ever Southern Conference regular season title.

Belmont Abbey – Four local products helped the Crusaders go 10-32 overall and 3-17 in Conference Carolinas. Emily Self (Cherryville 2009) hit .135 with five RBIs in 23 games and went 0-2 with a 13.12 ERA in three appearances (one start), Kinsey McClure (North Gaston 2010) hit .204 with three RBIs in 21 games, Brooke Baliles (South Point 2010) hit .203 with five RBIs in 34 games and Shanie McConnell (East Gaston 2011) hit .164 in 36 games.

Gardner-Webb – Brittney Morrow (Lincolnton 2009) hit .111 with one RBI in seven games (five starts) and Ashley Rhyne (West Lincoln 2010) went 8-13 with one save and a 4.75 ERA in 27 appearances (20 starts) for the Bulldogs (13-31, 8-16 Big South).

Lenoir-Rhyne – Anne Marie Lackey (Burns 2012) hit .100 with one RBI for the Bears (37-16, 11-7), who won the South Atlantic Conference tournament and were the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional runner-up.

Mars Hill – Taylor Jordan (Hunter Huss 2011) hit .280 with one home run and 16 RBIs in 39 games (37 starts) for the Lions (26-16, 10-8 South Atlantic Conference).

USC Upstate – Lindsay Greeson (East Gaston 2011) scored 14 runs and stole eight bases in 31 games and Jordan Wilson (South Point 2012) hit .500 with two RBIs in three games for the Spartans (42-12, 17-6). USC Upstate won the school’s first Atlantic Sun Conference tournament and the school’s first NCAA Division I tournament victory, going 1-2 in the Tuscaloosa Regional.

Winston-Salem State – Andreya O’Brien (Ashbrook 2010) hit .250 with one home run and 28 RBIs in 49 games (48 starts) and Tanaya Pettus (Clover 2011) hit .342 with 28 RBIs in 48 starts for the Rams (28-21, 15-1), who won the CIAA regular season title.